HOMILETIOS 


CLASSIFICATION    OF    DIVISIONS 


WILLIAM     M.     PAXTON 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL,  SEMINARY 
1904 


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in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/homileticsclasOOpaxt 


Classification  of  Divisions 

As  we  have  classified  sermons,  not  according  to  any- 
theoretical  arrangement,  but  according  to  the  kinds  of 
sermons  in  actual  use  among  approved  sermonizers,  we 
propose  to  classify  divisions  in  the  same  way.  As  there 
are  many  kinds  of  sermons,  so  there  are  many  kinds  of 
divisions.  Any  one,  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  ex- 
amine the  division  in  actual  use,  will  find  that  the 
methods  of  divisions  are  very  numerous,  and  might  be 
arranged  into  very  many  classes,  with  distinct  points  of 
difference  between  them.  More  careful  study,  however, 
will  show  you  that  they  may  all  be  reduced  to  the  two 
well-known  classes,  Topical  and  Textual  Divisions,  with 
a  number  of  subdivisions  under  each  general  class. 


A.   Topical  Divisions 

To  promote  clearness  let  me  ask  you  to  observe  that 
there  are  three  words  in  common  use  in  rhetoric,  which  have 
the  same  meaning  and  are  used  interchangeably.  These 
words  are,  Subject,  Theme,  and  Topic.  Subject  is  from 
the  Latin  word  subjectum,  meaning  placed  under,  and 
hence  is  used  to  designate  the  matter  or  point  of  thought 
that  is  placed  under  consideration.  Theme  is  from  the 
Greek  word  Oe,ua — meaning  that  which  is  laid  down  or 
proposed  for  discussion.  Topic  is  derived  from  the  Greek 
word  T07ro? — a  place,  or  tottcxq^ — pertaining  to  a  place 
or  locality,  a  common  place  of  thought,  or  the  thought 


which  we  locate  as  the  point  of  consideration  or  dis- 
cussion. Hence  the  three  words  are  identical  in  their 
meaning.  Some  writers  prefer  the  word  subject  and 
speak  of  subject  sermons.  Others  use  the  word  theme 
and  treat  of  theme  sermons.  We  prefer  the  word  Topic, 
and  hence  use  the  designation  Topical  Sermons  and 
Topical  Divisions. 

A  Topical  Division  is  the  division  of  a  Topic.  A 
text  is  a  chosen  and  treated  in  the  introduction  so  as  to 
expound  its  meaning  and  to  show  that  the  topic  is  the 
precise  point  of  thought  contained  in  the  text,  or  that 
your  Topic  is  fairly  warranted  from  the  meaning  of  the 
text  and  expresses  its  spirit.  The  text  is  then  dropped 
and  the  Topic  divided,  and  the  several  points  of  this 
topical  division  are  pursued  in  the  discourse. 

This  makes  a  strong  and  clear  distinction  between  the 
Topical  and  Textual  Division.  In  the  one  case  the  Topic 
is  divided,  in  the  other  the  text  is  divided.  The  textual 
division  is  the  more  scriptural.  This  makes  the  text 
the  subject  of  the  sermon,  whilst  the  topic  is  an  abstract 
subject  evolved  from  the  text.  Dr.  Hoppin  says,  "We 
grant  that  topical  preaching  has  done  a  great  work,  and 
will  continue  to  do  so,  but  its  exclusive  use  has  engen- 
dered many  errors  in  preaching,  and  has  sometimes  led 
the  preacher  astray  from  the  true  object  of  preaching. 
It  has  above  all  spoiled  variety  and  freedom."  Again 
he  says,  "A  Topical  Sermon  requires  an  artistic  handling 
like  an  oration.  It  is  something,  after  all,  outside  of  the 
text,  though  it  should  be  in  strict  accordance  with  it. 
It  requires  brief  texts  containing  complete  themes,  and 
themes  capable  of  didactic^development ;  but  this  style 
of  sermonizing  is  apt  to  lead  to  the  neglect  of  the  word  of 
God.  The  sermon,  in  fact,  hangs  on  the  proposition  or 
topic,  instead  of  the  text." 

Let  us  endeavor  to  get  a  clear  idea  of  the  special 
design  and  method  of  a  Topical  Division. 

A  Topical  Sermon  presents  one  single  subject,  and 
the  division  is  the  analysis  of  this  single  theme.     Dr. 


Shedd  says  (Homiletics,  p.  145),  "A  Topical  Sermon  is 
occupied  with  a  single  definite  theme  that  can  be  com- 
pletely enunciated  in  a  brief  statement — it  approaches 
nearest  to  the  unity,  symmetry  and  convergence  of  the 
oration  proper.  It  should  contain  one  leading  thought 
rather  than  several." 

With  this  general  idea  of  a  Topical  Sermon  let  us 
notice  the  different  forms  which  it  may  assume.  We 
indicate  three  classes  of  Topical  Divisions: 

I.  SIMPLE  TOPICAL  DIVISIONS. 

We  have  often  a  definite  and  complete  subject  ex- 
pressed by  a  single  word,  as  for  example,  the  common- 
place topics  of  theology,  "Sin,"  "Atonement," 
"Regeneration,"  "Repentance,"  "Faith;"  or  the  fruits  of 
Christian  duty,  "Obedience,"  "Prayer,"  "Benevolence;" 
or  characteristics  of  Christian  experience,  "Love,"  "Joy," 
"Peace,"  "Meekness,"  "Temperance."  These  are  a  few 
examples  of  a  large  multitude  of  complete  subjects  or 
topics  expressed  by  a  single  word.  When  you  wish  to 
treat  such  a  topic,  you  choose  your  text,  expound  it, 
draw  your  topic  from  your  text,  then,  dropping  the  text, 
you  divide  your  topic.  The  usual  and  best  method  of 
division  is  by  an  analysis  of  its  parts.  Suppose  your 
topic  is  "Regeneration,"  you  analyze  the  topic,  and 
get  as  the  results, 

1 .  The  Nature  of  Regeneration ; 

2 .  The  Necessity  of  Regeneration ; 

3 .  The  Author  of  Regeneration ; 

4.  The  Means  of  Regeneration; 

5.  The  Evidences  of  Regeneration. 

A  simple  topic  presents  a  complete  subject  to  your 
mind,  and  a  proper  analysis  exhibits  all  its  parts.  You 
can  treat  in  the  sermon  any  or  all  the  points  included  in 
the  analysis,  and  you  can  express  them  in  such  language 
as  you  please.  I  have  adopted  in  the  foregoing  analysis 
the  commonplace  terms  of  theology  for  the  sake  of  clear- 


ness,  but  each  preacher  should  be  encouraged  to  select 
his  own  forms  of  expression. 

It  may  make  this  method  of  division  plainer  to  give 
another  illustration.  Dr.  Van  Osterzee  takes  as  his  topic 
"The  Resurrection,"  and  shows, 

i .  Its  essential  Character ; 

2.  Its  Certainty; 

3.  Its  Glory. 

If  your  subject  is  "  Unbelief,"  your  analysis  might  be, 

1 .  Its  Nature ; 

2.  Its  Causes; 

3.  Its  Sinfulness; 

4.  Its  Consequences. 

These  or  any  other  points  included  in  the  subject 
may  be  introduced  into  the  division. 

This  Topical  Method  of  Division  is  adapted  specially 
to  larger  and  comprehensive  subjects.  There  are  times  when 
a  pastor  wishes  to  present  one  of  the  great  doctrines  in 
its  completeness  and  in  the  connection  of  all  its  parts. 
For  such  purposes  this  division  is  better  than  any  other. 
This  was  the  character  of  Whitfield's  great  sermon  on 
"  Regeneration  "  which  he  preached  so  often  and  with  such 
great  results.  If  a  single  point  of  a  subject  is  to  be 
treated  it  is  better  to  adopt  the  propositional  method,  as 
we  shall  afterwards  show. 

The  advantages  of  this  method  of  division  are — 

First.  It  disciplines  the  preacher's  mind  to  compre- 
hensive views  of  truth. 

Second.  It  gives  the  people  systematic  views  of  its 
truth  in  its  larger  and  wider  connections.  The  danger 
of  this  method  is  that  the  sermon  may  be  dry.  It  may 
be  a  mere  skeleton  of  dry  bones  with  but  little  skin  or 
flesh  to  cover  them.  If  so,  the  preacher  does  not  under- 
stand his  business.  He  has  attempted  to  put  in  all  the 
thoughts  that  belong  to  the  subject  instead  of  selecting 
the  salient  points  and  presenting  them  in  a  rapid  and 
striking  view.  In  such  a  sermon  much  of  the  skill  con- 
sists in  knowing  what  not  to  say. 


II.  TOPICO-PROPOSITIONAL  DIVISIONS. 

The  second  class  of  Topical  Sermons  consists  of  those 
in  which  the  topic  is  announced  in  the  form  of  a  Propo- 
sition. As  in  the  former  class  we  divided  the  simple 
topic,  in  this  class  we  divide  the  Proposition.  Hence 
we  may  call  it  a  Topico-Propositional  Division.  Let 
us  then  notice  what  a  Proposition  is  in  its  rhetorical 
meaning  and  in  what  its  division  consists. 

A  Proposition,  from  pro  and  pono,  is  something 
placed  before  us  for  consideration.  In  Logic  and  Rheto- 
ric it  has  its  special  and  distinctive  meaning,  but  in 
Homiletics  the  Proposition  is  that  part  of  the  sermon 
which  announces  or  sets  before  the  minds  of  the  people 
in  distinct  and  formal  statement  the  truth  which  is 
proposed  for  consideration  or  discussion.  'The  Propo- 
sition," says  Dr.  Shedd,  "should  be  stated  in  the  most 
concise  manner  possible.  It  should  be  the  condensation 
and  epitome  of  the  whole  discourse,  and  should  therefore 
be  characterized  by  the  utmost  density  of  meaning. 
A  Propositional  sentence  is  very  different  from  any  ordin- 
ary sentence.  Its  phraseology  ought  to  be  as  near  per- 
fection as  possible.  The  Proposition  of  a  sermon  ought 
to  be  eminent  for  the  nice  exactness  of  its  expression 
and  the  hard  finish  of  its  diction."  (Dr.  Shedd,  Hom- 
iletics p.   184.) 

Dr.  Fisk,  in  his  Manual  of  Preaching,  says:  "In  the 
Proposition  of  a  sermon  there  should  be  no  words  that 
need  any  explanation;  no  figurative,  technical  or  theo- 
logical terms  which  are  not  fully  understood  by  the  people. 
The  statement  of  the  proposition  should  be  so  simple 
both  in  word  and  structure  that  the  thought  shall  shine 
through  it  as  clearly  as  the  sun  through  the  atmosphere." 

The  rhetoricians  distinguish  two  kinds  of  propositions, 
logical  and  rhetorical  propositions.  Both  these  forms  of 
propositions  occur  frequently  in  sermonizing,  and  it  is 
important  that  we  understand  their  use.  The  subject  or 
topic  which  we  propose  to  treat  may  be  thrown  into 


either  of  these  forms,  and  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  under- 
stand which  form  will  be  most  advantageous. 

A  logical  proposition  is  an  affirmation  or  denial  of 
something,  or  in  other  words,  it  is  a  judgment  either 
affirmative  or  negative  expressed  in  words.  Hence  a 
logical  proposition  demands  proof.  "  God  is  Love"  is  a 
logical  proposition.  It  has  a  subject  spoken  of,  "God," 
and  a  predicate,  that  which  is  said,  "is  Love,"  "God  is 
Love."  Hence  the  logical  proposition  binds  us  down  to 
prove  either  the  affirmation  or  negation. 

As  distinguished  from  this,  a  rhetorical  proposition  is 
more  general.  It  is  a  single  statement  of  any  fact  or  truth. 
It  is  any  form  of  expression  by  which  the  subject  of  a  dis- 
course is  announced.  Thus  "the  Immutability  of  God" 
is  a  rhetorical  proposition,  or  "the  Unsearchableness  of 
God's  Judgments,"  to  put  this  distinction  in  its  simplest 
form.  If  we  announce  as  our  topic  "  the  Justice  of  God," 
we  have  a  rhetorical  proposition,  but  if  we  put  it  in  an 
affirmative  form,  "  God  is  Just,"  we  have  a  logical  propo- 
sition. This  seems  very  simple,  and  you  may  think  that 
it  makes  little  difference  which  form  you  adopt,  but  in 
actual  work  the  difference  in  the  division  and  structure  of 
the  sermon  will  be  very  great.  Dr.  Phelps,  (Theory  of 
Preaching,  p.  330,)  shows  this  by  a  very  interesting  state- 
ment. He  says,  "It  is  not  a  matter  of  indifference 
whether  we  select  the  rhetorical  or  logical  proposition. 
The  endowment  of  the  Hollis  Professorship  in  Harvard 
requires  the  incumbent  to  preach  to  the  students  on 
'the  Divinity  of  Christ.'  The  report  was  once  current 
that  the  last  occupant  of  the  chair  preached  against  the 
divinity  of  Christ.  If  he  did  so  the  design  of  the  founder 
was  frustrated  by  so  small  a  matter  as  the  difference 
between  a  rhetorical  and  a  logical  proposition." 


Having  seen  what  a  proposition  is,  and  the  difference 
between  these  two  forms  of  propositions  in  frequent 
use  in  sermonizing,  we  are  now  prepared  to  ask,  how  are 

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they  to  be  divided,  and  what  is  the  advantage  of  each? 
We  notice, 

A.    THE    LOGICAL    PROPOSITION. 

Suppose  your  topic  is  drawn  from  your  text  in  the  form 
of  a  logical  proposition,  how  is  it  to  be  treated  as  regards 
division?  We  answer  in  several  ways.  We  indicate 
two  methods. 

i.  By  Proof. 

The  divisions  should  be  made  with  special  reference 
to  the  proof  of  the  affirmation  or  denial  made  in  the 
proposition.  Frequently  the  division  consists  of  the 
various  proofs  by  which  the  proposition  is  supported. 
The  proposition  expresses  a  judgment  or  makes  an 
affirmation,  and  the  one  thing  it  calls  us  to  do  is  to  prove 
it. 

Theremin,  the  court  preacher  in  Berlin,  has  a  sermon 
on  "The  Resurrection  of  Christ. ' '  His  topic  he  expresses  in 
the  form  of  a  logical  proposition  thus :  '  The  Resurrection 
of  Christ  is  a  powerful  incentive  to  Repentance."  His 
divisions  are  the  several  proofs  of  this  assertion. 

It  is  so, 

i.  Because  it  proves  that  there  is  an  invisible  world. 

2.  Because  it  shows  that  after  death  we  pass  into 
that  invisible  world. 

3.  Because  it  demonstrates  that  our  destiny  in  that 
world  depends  upon  the  relation  in  which  one  stands  to 
Christ. 

Another  fine  example  in  which  the  divisions  are  the 
several  proofs  of  the  proposition  is  in  a  sermon  by  Bishop 
South.  Text,  Numbers  32:23,  "Be  sure  your  sin  will 
find  you  out."  The  topic  is  in  the  form  of  a  logical  propo- 
sition, "Concealment  of  Sin  is  no  security  to  the  Sinner." 

1.  Because  the  sinner's  very  confidence  of  secrecy  is 
the  cause  of  his  detection. 

2.  Because  there  is  sometimes  a  providential  concur- 
rence of  unexpected  events  which  leads  to  his  detection. 


3.  Because  one  sin  is  sometimes  the  means  of  dis- 
covering another. 

4.  Because  the  sinner  may  unwittingly  discover  him- 
self through  frenzy  or  distraction. 

5.  Because  the  sinner  may  be  forced  to  discover  him- 
self by  his  own  conscience. 

6.  Because  the  sinner  may  be  smitten  by  some  notable 
judgment  that  discloses  his  guilt,  and 

7.  Because  his  guilt  will  follow  him  into  another 
world  if  he  should  chance  to  escape  in  this. 

This  may  suffice  to  show  the  division  of  a  logical  propo- 
sition by  proofs. 

The  several  proofs  of  the  point  affirmed  or  the  dis- 
proofs of  the  point  denied,  are  the  divisions  of  the  sermon. 
This  is  a  favorite  method  in  the  pulpit  in  all  closely 
argued  sermons  in  which  a  single  point  is  taken,  and  the 
whole  work  of  the  sermon  is  to  demonstrate  a  truth  or 
refute  an  error. 
2.  By   Explanation    or    Illustration. 

A  second  method  of  dividing  a  logical  proposition 
is  by  explanation  or  illustration.  The  division  consists 
in  showing  the  different  respects  in  which  the  point 
affirmed  is  true.  For  example,  we  select  from  Dr.  Kidder 
the  proposition  drawn  from  Deuteronomy  4:35,  "God 
is  infinitely  and  gloriously  Perfect."  This  is  a  logical 
proposition.  It  does  not  need  proof,  for  no  one  doubts 
it,  but  it  contains  an  important  and  edifying  truth,  which 
may  be  brought  out  by  explaining  in  what  respects  God 
is  infinitely  and  gloriously  perfect ;  thus,  He  is  so, 

1 .  A  s  to  His  eternity 

2.  As  to  His  omnipresence. 

3.  As  to  His  omnipotence. 

4.  As  to  His  wisdom. 

Saurin,  the  great  Reformed  French  preacher,  has  a 
sermon  on  the  logical  proposition  "Revealed  Religion 
is  infinitely  superior  to  Natural  Religion."  His  division 
explains  the  several  respects  in  which  this  superiority 

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consists.     It  is  superior  in  the  knowledge  which  it  gives 
us, 

i .  Of  the  nature  and  attributes  of  God. 

2.  Of  the  nature  and  obligations  of  man. 

3.  Of  the  means  of  appeasing  the  remorse  of  con- 
science. 

4.  Of  the  future  state. 

Another  simple  and  striking  division  of  a  logical 
proposition  by  way  of  illustration  is  from  Psalm  18:30, 
"The  word  of  the  Lord  is  tried." 

1.  By  time  (history). 

2.  By  philosophy. 

3.  By  science. 

4.  By  experience  (its  adaptation  to  the  wants  of  men). 
This  may  suffice  to  show  the  different  ways  in  which 

the  Logical  Proposition  may  be  treated  as  to  division. 

The  advantages  of  the  Logical  Proposition  are: — 
First.  That  it  gives  the  most  perfect  unity  to  the  dis- 
course. 

Second.  It  stimulates  the  mind  of  the  preacher  by 
thinking  to  a  single  point  and  urges  him  to  industry  in 
gathering  the  proofs  to  sustain  the  affirmation  to  which 
he  has  committed  himself. 

B.    THE    RHETORICAL    PROPOSITION. 

The  second  form  of  proposition  is  the  Rhetorical 
Proposition.  Let  me  show  its  use  and  the  method  of 
its  division. 

As  a  general  rule  a  topic  may  be  announced  either  as 
logical  or  as  a  rhetorical  proposition.  For  example,  the 
topic  is  the  same,  whether  I  adopt  the  logical  form  and 
say,  "All  Men  are  Sinners,"  or  the  rhetorical  form,  "The 
universal  Sinfulness  of  Man ' ' ;  but  there  is  a  great 
practical  difference  between  the  two  forms.  The  first, 
the  logical  proposition,  binds  me  to  an  argument  about  a 
single  point.  But  an  argument  is  not  always  needed. 
Some  subjects  are  spoiled  by  argument.  "There  are 
truths,"   says  Dr.   Fisk,   "whose  beauty  and  sweetness 


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are  crushed  out  of  them  by  forcing  them  into  logical 
form."  Besides,  there  may  be  a  large  field  of  truth  in 
your  topic  which  lies  outside  of  proof,  which  it  will  be 
edifying  to  treat.  Hence  there  are  many  subjects  to 
which  the  form  of  a  rhetorical  proposition  is  better 
adapted.  It  opens  a  larger  field.  It  does  not  necessitate 
proof.  It  presents  a  topic  in  such  a  general  statement 
that  we  can  treat  it  in  any  or  all  the  aspects  of  a  general 
theme.  Thus,  if  the  proposition  is  "the  Holiness  of 
God,"  it  opens  to  us  the  whole  compass  of  that  wide 
field.  Dr.  Fisk  says,  "it  is  desirable  with  some  subjects 
that  the  preacher  have  a  wider  range  of  materials  than 
he  can  have  when  shut  within  the  walls  of  a  logical  form 
of  statement."  It  must  be  observed,  however,  that 
while  a  rhetorical  proposition  presents  a  general  subject 
in  all  its  range  of  thought,  it  does  not  exclude  proofs, 
and  sometimes  the  more  general  points  may  be  treated 
and  followed  by  the  proofs  of  the  special  point  implied 
in  the  text. 

To  familiarize  your  mind  with  the  forms  of  rhetorical 
propositions  and  to  show  their  use  in  the  statement  of 
every  kind  of  subject,  even  the  most  practical,  I  may 
mention  a  few  rhetorical  propositions .  "The  Preciousness 
of  Christ,"  "The  Sin  of  Unbelief,"  "The  Sanctification  of 
the  Sabbath,"  "The  Relation  of  Repentance  as  a  Duty  to 
Repentance  as  a  Gift."  "The  Power  of  Conscience." 
Sometimes  the  proposition  may  be  stated  in  an  interro- 
gative form,  "Is  the  Duty  of  Repentance  universal?" 

With  this  understanding  of  the  rhetorical  proposi- 
tion we  may  now  inquire  how  it  should  be  divided. 
We  answer — as  it  presents  a  subject  in  all  its  aspects,  you 
are  at  liberty  to  divide  it  very  much  as  you  please,  only 
so  that  your  lines  of  thought  lie  within  the  compass  of 
your  theme.  Your  division  may  take  shape  from  the 
particular  purpose  for  which  you  have  chosen  your  topic, 
or  from  the  shape  in  which  the  subject  lies  in  your  own 
mind,  or  from  your  own  taste  or  genius.  These  proposi- 
tions have  been  treated  in  such  a  large  variety  of  ways  that 

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it  will  be  impossible  to  indicate  many  of  the  forms  which 
such  divisions  assume,  but  we  may  mention  one  or  two. 

i.  By  way  of  Instruction. 

Suppose  your  proposition  is,  "The  Purpose  of  the 
Incarnation,"  your  division  should  indicate,  for  the  in- 
struction of  the  people,  the  several  points  included  in 
the  purpose  of  the  Incarnation.     Its  purpose  was, 

i.  To  make  God  visible. 

2.  To  show  us  God  as  a  Person. 

3.  To  exhibit  God  as  an  object  of  love. 
a.  To  make  an  atonement  for  sin. 

5.  To  set  us  an  example  of  human  life. 

2.    THE  DIVISION  MAY  BE  BY    WAY  OF  INVESTIGATION. 

Thus,  Jeremy  Taylor  takes  the  text  John  9:31,  "  Now 
we  know  that  God  heareth  not  sinners,  but,  if  any  man  be 
a  worshipper  of  God  and  doth  his  will,  him  he  heareth." 

From  this  text  he  draws  the  rhetorical  proposition, 
"The  Conditions  of  prevailing  Prayer."  With  a  view  to 
investigation  under  the  teaching  of  the  text  he  says, 
We  shall  consider, 

1.  What  are  those  conditions  which  are  required  in 
every  person  who  prays,  the  want  of  which  makes  the 
prayer  to  be  sin  ? 

2.  What  are  the  conditions  of  a  good  man's  prayers, 
the  absence  of  which  causes  his  prayers  to  return  empty? 

3.  What  degrees  and  circumstances  of  piety  are 
required  to  make  a  man  fit  to  be  an  intercessor  for  others  ? 

4.  What  are  the  indications  by  which  we  may  judge 
whether  God  hath  heard  our  prayers  or  not? 

3.  The  division  of  a  Rhetorical  Proposition  may  be 
*5'  Explanatory. 

Richard  Winter  Hamilton  takes  the  text  Galatians  1:8, 
"Though  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  any  other 
gospel  unto  you  than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto 
you,  let  him  be  accursed."     From  this  he  takes  the  pro- 
position, "  Chrisitanity  Inviolable." 

*3 


His  division  is  to  explain  the  different  respects  in 
which  Christianity   is  inviolable.     It  is  so,  because, 
i.  Its  divine  origin  cannot  be  controverted. 

2 .  Its  efficacy  cannot  be  denied. 

3.  Its  authority  cannot  be  superseded. 

4.  Its  existence  cannot  be  endangered. 

This  may  suffice  to  show  some  of  the  many  ways  in 
which  a  rhetorical  proposition  may  be  divided.  These 
examples  are  enough  to  stimulate  thought  and  ingenuity 
in  the  construction  of  such  divisions  for  yourselves,  while 
a  more  elaborate  enumeration  of  methods  might  produce 
confusion. 

III.     COMPOUND  PROPOSITIONAL  DIVISIONS. 

The  third  class  of  topical  divisions  consists  of  Com- 
pound Propositional  Divisions.  In  the  former  instances 
a  single  proposition  was  drawn  from  the  text,  but  in  this 
class  of  divisions  two  or  more  or  a  series  of  propositions 
are  drawn  from  the  text.  In  this  case  the  propositions 
themselves  are  your  divisions.  A  very  large  number 
of  sermons  are  divided  in  this  way.  It  was  a  favorite 
method  with  all  the  great  Puritan  divines,  and  it  is 
largely  used  by  many  of  the  best  thinkers  in  the  present  day. 

The  special  caution  to  be  observed  in  this  kind  of 
division  is  to  maintain  the  unity  of  the  discourse  by 
raising  only  such  propositions  as  are  connected  vitally 
with  the  text.  Propositions  are  sometimes  hung  so 
loosely  around  the  text  that,  although  they  are  true  and 
scriptural,  they  have  so  little  affinity  with  the  text  as  to 
lose  their  impressiveness. 

A  fine  example  of  this  kind  of  division  we  find  in  a 
sermon  bv  Dr.  Alexander  McLaren,  of  Manchester,  Eng- 
land, who  is  now  one  of  the  great  preachers  of  the  world. 

His  text  is, 

Matthew  17 :  19,  20. 

"Then  came  the  disciples  of  Jesus  apart,  and  said, 
Why  could  we  not  cast  him  out?  And  Jesus  said  unto 
them,  Because  of  your  unbelief." 

14 


From  this  text  in  its  connection  he  starts  four  prop- 
ositions : 

i .  The  Gospel  is  a  power  to  cast  out  evil  spirits. 

2.  The  condition  of  exercising  this  power  is  faith. 

3.  Our  faith  is  ever  threatened  by  a  subtle  unbelief. 

4.  Our  faith  can  be  maintained  only  by  a  constant 
devotion  and  rigid  self-denial. 

Another  example  we  take  from  the  sermons  of  Bishop 
Simpson,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  one  of  the  greatest 
preachers  of  the  present  generation.     His  text  is, 

Isaiah  60:  18, 

"  But  thou  shall  call  her  walls  salvation  and  her  gates 
praise." 

From  this  text  he  draws  two  propositions : 

1.  The  Christian  Church  is  a  place  of  safety. 

2.  The  Christian  Church  is  a  place  of  joy. 

You  observe  that  here  are  two  distinct  propositions 
in  reference  to  the  Church,  making  it  a  Compound  Propo- 
sitional  Division.  You  will  notice  also  that  each  propo- 
sition is  a  logical  proposition .  Hence  he  treats  each  as  a 
logicial  proposition,  and  proceeds  thus: 

First  Proposition.     The  Church  is  a  place  of  safety. 

1 .  Because  it  is  far  from  the  evil  practices  which  dis- 
tract the  harmony  of  society  and  lead  youth  astray. 

2.  Because  the  trains  of  thought  that  are  brought 
before  the  mind  are  such  as  to  banish  evil  suggestions. 

3.  Because  the  moral  standards  of  the  Church  are  so 
much  higher  than  the  standards  of  the  world. 

4.  Because  it  brings  vividly  to  the  view  of  men  the 
retribution  of  the  future. 

Second  Proposition.     The  Church  is  a  place  of  joy. 

1.  Because  the  intelligence  communicated  to  the 
Church  is  ever  of  a  joyful  character. 

2.  The  experience  of  the  Church  is  a  joyful  experience. 
This  finishes  our  view  of  the  several  forms  of  Topical 

Divisions. 


15 


B.  Textual  Divisions 

The  second  general  class  of  Divisions  is  composed  of 
what  are  called  Textual  Divisions.  In  the  former  class 
we  divide  the  Topic,  in  this  class  we  divide  the  Text. 

Of  these  we  distinguish  three  kinds:  Expositions, 
Lectures,  and  Textual  Sermons. 

I.  EXPOSITIONS. 

In  a  former  lecture  we  have  discussed  so  fully  the 
whole  subject  of  expository  preaching  as  to  render  it 
unnecessary  to  return  to  that  subject  again.  By  referring 
to  the  previous  lecture  you  will  find  that  we  have  indicated 
the  different  forms  into  which  an  expository  sermon 
may  be  cast.     Regarding  this  as-sufficient,  we  pass  on  to 

II.  LECTURES. 

Lectures,  accurately  speaking,  are  expositions — the 
highest,  best,  and  most  perfect  form  of  exposition.  We 
treat  them  under  a  special  head  simply  to  give  them 
definiteness  and  emphasis.  A  lecture  has  for  its  subject 
several  verses  of  scripture,  or  a  paragraph,  or  a  more 
lengthy  passage  which  is  complete  as  to  its  sense  or 
meaning.  The  lecture  treats  this  lengthy  passage  much 
in  the  same  way  as  a  textual  sermon  treats  a  single  text. 
It  is  systematic  in  its  construction,  orderly  in  its  divison 
and  furnishes  a  fine  field  for  the  exercise  of  analytical 
skill.  The  preacher  masters  the  whole  thought  of  the 
passage,  holds  it  in  mind  and  arranges  it  into  a  division 
which  will  at  once  secure  unity  of  subject  and  subserve 
the  purposes  of  instruction,  illustration  and  impression. 

From  this  you  will  perceive  that  a  lecture  is  a  difficult 
piece  of  intellectual  architecture.  It  requires  breadth 
and  grasp  of  mind  to  hold  so  large  a  compass  of  thought, 
and  a  high  degree  of  structural  ingenuity  to  frame  it 
into  an  orderly  division.  Lecturing  is  not  an  easier 
method  of  preaching,  it  is  not  several  little  sermons  upon 

16 


a  number  of  consecutive  texts,  nor  is  it  a  simple  phara- 
phrase  or  explanation.  It  is  a  large  range  of  thought, 
mastered  and  reduced  to  unity  and  then  distributed  and 
arranged  with  skill  and  precision. 

So  many  different  methods  have  been  employed  in 
the  construction  of  lectures  that  it  is  difficult  to  de- 
scribe them.  We  indicate  three,  as  in  approved  use  and 
most  worthy  of  your  attention. 

A.       THE    FIRST    CLASS    OF    LECTURES. 

The  first  class  of  lectures  are  those  in  which  the 
division  follows  the  natural  order  and  progress  of  the 
words  or  thought. 

The  Spirit  of  God  in  many  places  has  indited  truth 
with  so  much  that  is  natural  in  order  and  logical  in 
sequence  that  oftentimes  the  very  best  possible  arrange- 
ment is  the  notation  of  the  successive  steps  in  the  natural 
evolution  of  the  thought. 

An  example  of  this  we  have  in  I  Peter  1:3-5.  In 
this  passage  the  apostle  gives  thanks  to  God  for  the 
"Hope  of  the  Christian,"  which  is  described, 

1 .  A  s  to  its  nature ;  it  is  a  lively  hope. 

2 .  As  to  the  manner  in  which  this  hope  is  produced  in 
us ;  He  hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope. 

3.  As  to  the  means  by  which  this  is  secured;  by  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead. 

4.  As  to  the  object  of  this  hope;  it  is  an  inheritance 
incorruptible,  unde filed,  and  fadeth  not  away. 

5.  As  to  its  certainty;  who  are  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation. 

6.  As  to  its  present  enjoyment;  wherein  we  greatly 
rejoice. 

In  this  passage  you  will  notice  that  the  simple  order 
of  the  clauses  of  the  text  furnishes  the  points  of  thought 
and  yet  preserves  the  unity  of  the  theme. 

Nor  are  such  passages  rare.  It  may  be  of  advantage  to 
mention  a  few  such  examples.  Psalm  I  is  capable 
of  such  a  treatment,  also  I  Peter  1:3,  Isaiah   35:8-10, 

17 


Psalm  23,  Ephesians  1:3,  Philippians  2:  14-16,  Hebrews 
13:20,  21,  and  many  others.  In  all  these  passages  the 
division  follows  very  much  the  order  of  the  words  or 
clauses. 

But  there  are  also  passages  in  which  this  same  form 
of  division  may  follow  rather  the  order  of  the  thought. 
As  an  example  of  this  we  take  the  account  of  the  home- 
ward journey  of  the  Ethiopian  Eunuch,  as  recorded  in 
Acts  8:  26-40.     He  is  here  presented  to  us: 

1 .  As  an  inquirer. 

2.  As  a  convert. 

3.  As  a  confessor. 

4.  As  an  initiated  member  of  the  Church. 

5.  As  a  rejoicing  Christian. 

Taking  up  these  divisions  separately,  the  passage 
furnishes  us  with  numerous  particulars. 

1.  As  an  inquirer.  He  appears,  a.  as  an  anxious 
inquirer;    b.  as  an  instructed  inquirer. 

2.  As  a  convert.  Under  this  head  the  means  by 
which  his  conversion  was  effected  are  given;  a.  by  the 
truth  of  God;  b.  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  ministry 
of  Philip  in  the  explanation  and  application  of  the  truth ; 
c.  by  the  Divine  Spirit  in  making  the  truth  effectual. 

3.  As  a  confessor  of  Christ.  Under  this  point  you 
have  his  wonderful  confession,  "  I  believe  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God." 

4.  As  an  initiated  member  of  the  Church.  He  is 
baptized. 

5.  As  a  rejoicing  Christian.  He  went  on  his  way 
rejoicing. 

This  is  an  example  of  the  way  in  which  many  narra- 
tive passages  may  be  divided. 

B.  THE  SECOND  CLASS  OF  LECTURES. 

The  Second  Class  of  Lectures  is  that  in  which  the 
passage  is  expounded  or  the  scene  with  which  it  is  con- 
nected is  described  in  the  introduction,  and  the  lessons 
which  it  teaches,  or  the  doctrines  which  it  contains,  or 

18 


the  points  of  experimental  or  practical  application  which 
it  suggests,  drawn  out  one  by  one,  are  enforced  and  ap- 
plied.    These  points  are  the  divisions  of  the  Lecture. 

This  is  a  large  and  valuable  class  of  lectures  and  is 
probably  in  more  general  use  than  any  other.  To  show 
its  applicability  to  historical  subjects  we  take  an  example 
from  Bishop  Ryle,  so  celebrated  for  his  plain  and  pun- 
gent Gospel  preaching.     The  text  is 

Mark  4:  37-40. 

The  disciples,  obeying  the  command  of  Jesus,  put  out 
to  sea,  and  encountered  a  great  storm.  Jesus  was  in  the 
hinder  part  of  the  ship  asleep.  Becoming  alarmed  they 
awoke  Him,  and  He  arose  and  rebuked  the  wind,  etc. 

This  whole  scene  Bishop  Ryle  describes  with  much  viv- 
idness in  the  introduction,  and  then  draws  from  the  whole 
passage  the  following  points  of  instruction : 

1.  That  following  Christ  will  not  prevent  our  having 
earthly  sorrows  or  troubles. 

2.  That  the  Lord  Jesus  was  really  and  truly  man  (he 
slept) . 

3.  That  there  may  be  much  weakness  and  infirmity 
even  to  a  true  Christian. 

4.  We  learn  the  power  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

5 .  We  learn  how  tenderly  and  patiently  He  deals  with 
weak  believers. 

This  example  shows  how  this  method  of  division  is 
applicable  to  historical  subjects;  but  it  is  no  less  suitable 
to  subjects  of  didactic  character.  I  give  an  example  from 
Dr.  John  Harris,  who  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and 
profound  preachers  among  the  Congregationalists  of 
England.     The  text  is, 

Luke  7 :  19-23. 

It  is  the  narrative  of  the  mission  of  John's  disciples  to 
Jesus  to  ask  if  he  was  the  Messiah,  etc.  In  the  intro- 
duction he  describes  the  circumstances.  Jesus  did  not 
answer  directly,  but  his  actions,  which  followed,  were 
full  of  meaning.     With  a  view  to  the  deeper  didactic 


meaning  of  the  passage,  he  deduces  the  following  points 
of  instruction : 

i.  That  our  Lord's  teaching  consisted  to  a  remarkable 
degree  in  deeds.  He  did  not  answer,  but  his  actions 
spoke. 

2.  His  deeds  were  wonders  (he  healed  the  sick,  etc). 

3.  His  wonders  were  mercies — they  were  miracles  of 
benevolence. 

4.  His  mercies  were  in  answer  to  human  questions 
and  necessities. 

This  scheme  of  thought  is  certainly  remarkable.  I 
give  it  not  as  a  division  which  it  would  be  well  to  imitate, 
but  as  a  product  of  genius  and  as  having  an  interest  as 
an  intellectual  curiosity. 

Let  me  also  direct  your  attention  to  a  kind  of  Lecture 
of  this  same  class  which  is  slightly  different  in  its  form. 
You  will  observe  that,  in  the  Lecture  which  I  have  just 
described,  the  principal  purpose  of  the  preacher  is  to  treat 
the  points  of  doctrine  or  practice  which  he  draws  from 
the  text.  For  this  reason  he  makes  the  introduction 
short,  and  takes  up  the  points  of  his  division  as  soon  as 
he  can  evolve  the  meaning  of  the  passage. 

But  it  sometimes  happens  that  the  chief  purpose  of 
the  preacher  is  to  deal  with  the  text,  if  it  is  a  narrative 
to  explain  and  set  it  forth  in  all  its  connections,  or  if  a  doc- 
trine to  show  fully  and  accurately  its  statement  in  the 
text  by  a  full  exposition.  In  this  case  the  half  of  the  ser- 
mon or  more  is  devoted  to  the  text,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  sermon  to  a  brief  statement  of  the  points  of  instruction 
or  application. 

This  is  probably  the  best  method,  when  the  preacher 
is  lecturing  continuously  on  a  book  in  the  Bible.  It 
adapts  itself  finely  to  historical  passages  and  is  also  appli- 
cable to  didactic  exposition,  as  when  you  are  lecturing  on 
an  Epistle.  You  will  find  excellent  illustrations  of  this 
species  of  lecture  in  the  works  of  Dr.  Wm.  M.  Taylor  of 
New  York.     He  has  a  volume  on  Paul,  another  on  Peter, 


20 


also  on  Moses  and  Elijah.     All  his  historical  lectures  are 
of  this  character. 

C.  THE  THIRD  CLASS  OF  LECTURES. 

The  Third  Class  of  Lectures  is  that  in  which  a  con- 
nected passage  is  subjected  to  a  regular  analysis  and  dis- 
tributed by  a  formal  division.  It  treats  a  complete 
passage  or  a  whole  paragraph  as  a  sermon  treats  a  single 
text.  This  species  of  lecture  is  one  of  the  highest  kinds 
of  pulpit  address  and  taxes  the  capacity  of  the  preacher 
as  much  as  any  other  species  of  homiletical  preparation. 
Very  few  men  can  do  it  well.  The  reason  is  the  want 
of  analytical  culture  and  that  large  acquaintance  with 
the  Word  of  God,  which  is  necessary  to  such  a  compre- 
hensive statement. 

i.     A  Few  General  Examples  will  enable  you  to  see 
clearly  the  idea  and  method  of  this  division. 

Galatians  i :  15,  16. 
"  But  when  it  pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from 

my  mother's  womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal 

his  Son  in  me,  that  I    might   preach   him   among   the 

heathen;  immediately   I   conferred  not   with   flesh  and 

blood." 

In  this  passage   Paul  describes  his  own  conversion 

from  the  standpoint  of  his  inward  experience  and  in  a 

detail  of  particulars ; 

1.  Showing  the  nature  of  his  conversion.  It  was  a 
revelation  of  God's  Son  in  him. 

A  revelation, 

a.  Of  His  Divinity. 

b.  Of  His  Beauty  and  Glory. 

c.  Of  His  Excellence  and  Suitableness. 

2.  He  shows  the  agency  by  which  his  conversion  was 
effected.     This  agency  was 

a.  Divine.     It  was  God  who  revealed  his  Son  in  him. 

b.  It  was  by  a  gracious  call.     He  called  me  by    his 
grace. 


21 


3.  He  shows  the  source  or  origin  of  his  conversion. 
It  originated  in  a  divine  predestination.  It  pleased  God 
who  separated  me  from  my  mother's  womb. 

4.  He  shows  the  purpose  of  his  conversion.  It  was 
that  he  might  preach  him  among  the  heathen. 

5.  He  shows  the  results  of  his  conversion.  Imme- 
diately I  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood.  Viz. :  the 
result  of  his  conversion  was  that  he  was  freed  from  all 
selfish  and  worldly  considerations.  If  he  had  consulted 
with  flesh  and  blood  he  would  not  have  preached  the 
Gospel  to  the  heathen. 

As  it  is  important  to  understand  clearly  this  method 
of  division  I  had  better  add  another  example  of  a  similar 
didactic  character. 

Hebrews    2:14-15. 

"  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh 
and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same, 
that  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the 
power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil,  and  deliver  them  who 
through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  life-time  subject  to 
bondage." 

From  this  passage  we  gather  three  points  of  thought. 

1.  The  power  of  the  Devil.  He  is  here  characterized 
as  the  one  who  has  the  power  of  death. 

2.  The  conquest  which  the  Son  of  God  achieved 
over  him.  He  is  said  to  have  destroyed  him;  not  his 
person,  but  his  power.     This  he  did — 

a.  By  his  incarnation.  As  the  children  were  partakers 
of  flesh  and  blood  he  himself  likewise  also  took  part 
of  the  same. 

b.  He  destroyed  the  power  of  the  Devil  by  his  death. 

That  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  who  had  the 
power  of  death. 

3.  The  blessed  deliverance  which  he  has  accom- 
plished for  his  people.  He  has  delivered  them  who  through 
fear  of  death  were  all  their  life-time  subject  to  bondage. 

This  method  of  division  is  not  only  applicable  to  a 
few  carefully  chosen  passages  but  it  may  be  used  by  a 

22 


skillful  analyst  in  the  treatment  of  a  large  portion  of  the 
Scriptural  record.     Let  me  show  by  examples  its  appli- 
cation to  both  the  Parables  and  Miracles. 
2.  To  the  Parables.     Let  me  take  the  Parable  of  the 
Rich  Man ; 

Luke  12  :  16-20. 
"The  ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  brought   forth 
plentifully,  etc."     This  parable, 

1 .  Describes  a  Character ; 

2.  Exhibits  God's  estimate  of  it; 

3.  Pronounces  its  doom. 

Taking  up  each  of  these  divisions  observe  the  teaching 
of  the  Parable. 

1.  It  describes  a  Character. 

a.  By  his  external  circumstances.  He  was  rich  and 
prosperous.  The  ground  of  a  certain  rich  man 
brought  forth  pleantifully . 

b.  By  his  internal  state  of  thought  and  feeling.  He 
thought  within  himself  saying:  What  shall  I  do 
because  I  have  no  room  where  to  bestow  my  fruits? 

c.  By  his    present    purpose.     And  he  said  this  will 

I  do ,  I  will  pull  down  my  barns  and  will  build  greater 
and  there  will  I  bestow  all  my  fruits  and  my  goods. 

d.  By  his  future  expectations.  And  I  will  say  to 
my  soul,  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for 
many  years,  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink  and  be  merry. 

•'Having  described  the  Character,  the  Parable  exhibits, 

2.  God's    estimate    of    it.     But   God   said  unto   him, 
thou  fool.     He  was  a  fool  in  God's  esteem : 

a.  Because  he  sought  his  highest  happiness  in  riches 
and  the  gratifications  which  they  afford. 

b.  Because  he  made  provisions  for  the  flesh  to  the 
neglect  of  the  interests  of  his  soul. 

c.  Because  he  calculated  upon  a  long  life  of  enjoyment. 
Having   shown   the    divine    estimate    of   this    man's 

character,  the  Parable. 

3.  Pronounces  his  doom.     This  night  thy  soul  shall  be 
required  of  thee. 

23 


3.  To  the  Miracles.  Let  me  also  give  an  example 
of  the  use  of  this  method  of  division  in  analyzing 
the  teachings  of  the  Miracles.  Let  us  take  the  cure 
of  the  Ten  Lepers ; 

Luke  17:  11-19. 
The  narrative  presents 

1.  The  suppliants  who  apply  for  relief,  and  the  con- 
dition of  those  whose  spiritual  state  they  symbolize,  sin- 
ners,   spiritual    lepers. 

2.  The  supplication  which  they  make,  Jesus  Master, 
have  mercy  on  us.     Observe, 

a.  The  person  to  whom  they  appeal;     Jesus,  Master. 

b.  The  blessing  which  they  ask;  Mercy. 

c.  The   opportunity   which   they   seized;  when   Jesus 

was  passing  by. 

d.  The  position  which  they  took;  they  stood  afar  off. 

e.  The  earnestness  which  they  exhibited. 

3.  The  answer  which  their  application  secured. 

4.  The  results  of  this  blessed  answer; 

a.  In  the  adoring  thankfulness  of  the  one  Samaritan. 

b.  In  the  odious  ingratitude  of  the  other  nine. 

III.  TEXTUAL  SERMONS. 

Having  finished  Expositions  and  Lectures  we  now 
proceed  to  the  third  kind  of  Textual  Divisions,  namely 
Textual  Sermons.  As  these  are  ordinarily  the  common 
staple  of  pulpit  preparation  it  is  necessary  that  we  con- 
sider carefully  the  mode  of  their  division.  This  is  difficult, 
however,  on  account  of  the  endless  variety  of  divisions 
of  which  this  method  is  capable.  The  genius,  taste  and 
knowledge  of  the  preacher  all  come  in,  to  influence  and 
modify  the  method  in  which  he  evolves  and  distributes 
the  thought  under  the  verbal  indices  of  a  single  text. 
You  hear  a  text  beautifully  divided  and  wonder  by  what 
rule  the  preacher  works  and  think  that  if  you  had  the 
same  rule  you  might  produce  a  similar  result.  But  this 
is  all  a  mistake.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  rule  but  of  talent. 
The  probability  is  that  the  preacher  never  thought  of  a 

24 


rule.  The  division  is  just  the  method  in  which  his  mind 
moves  and  his  peculiar  tastes,  talents,  acquirements  and 
experiences  all  combine  to  form  the  mold  in  which  the 
sermon  was  cast.  In  this  sense  a  sermon  can  no  more  be 
made  by  rules  than  poetry  can  be  written  by  rule.  Rules 
do  not  create  but  only  limit  and  regulate.  In  this  respect 
they  are  highly  important.  As  in  poetry  a  knowledge  of 
the  art  and  of  the  different  kinds  of  metres,  and  the  uses 
to  which  each  is  adapted,  both  facilitates  and  improves 
the  work,  so  here  a  knowledge  of  the  best  methods,  a 
skill  in  their  employment  and  a  perception  of  their  appli- 
cability to  different  subjects,  is  of  the  highest  importance. 
The  productions  of  the  best  talent  without  this  will  be 
crude  and  ill-shapen. 

Let  us  endeavor  to  understand  the  Textual  Sermon 
and  the  method  of  its  division  as  distinguished  from  ser- 
mons of  other  classes. 

A  topical  sermon  deals  with  a  topic,  and  its  division  is 
the  division  of  the  topic. 

A  Textual  Sermon  deals  with  a  text,  and  its  division  is 
the  division  of  the  text. 

A  topic  is  an  abstract  truth  which  the  thought  of  the 
preacher  evolves  from  the  text,  and  treats  in  logical  form 
and  by  a  systematic  analysis.  The  sermon  is  the  preach- 
er's reasoning  about  what  the  text  suggests  and  warrants. 

A  Textual  Sermon  is  God's  message  as  contained  in 
an  individual  text,  given  in  the  form  in  which  the  Divine 
Spirit  indited  it ;  the  divisions  of  the  sermon  are  just  the 
points  of  thought  expressed  in  the  text ;  and  the  preacher's 
work  is  simply  to  explain  what  God  says  in  that  text  and 
enforce  it. 

The  Textual  Sermon  then  has  the  advantage  of  pre- 
senting the  preacher  as  God's  messenger,  the  text  as  the 
message,  the  divisions  of  the  text  as  the  points  of  the 
message,  and  the  sermon  as  the  explanation,  illustration 
and  enforcement  upon  the  hearers  of  the  Avord  of  truth 
which  God  has  sent  for  their  salvation. 


25 


To  render  you  assistance,  I  have  labored  to  systema- 
tise and  arrange  the  different  kinds  of  textual  divisions  in 
a  distinct  classification.  My  aim  has  not  been  to  show 
what  kinds  of  divisions  should  be  made,  nor  to  classify 
divisions  on  any  theoretical  principle,  but  simply  to  find 
out  what  different  kinds  of  textual  divisions  are  in  actual 
use  among  skillful  sermonizers  and  to  classify  them  as 
accurately  as  possible  and  to  explain  and  illustrate  the  law 
of  their  construction. 

It  is  perhaps  not  possible  to  include  all  the  different 
forms  of  textual  division  in  any  classification,  but  we  may 
comprehend  the  most  important  and  approved  forms  in 
eight  distinct  classes — 

a.  Natural  Divisions. 

b.  Topico-Textual. 

c.  Regular. 

d.  Observational. 
E.  Interrogative. 

f.  Distributive. 

g.  Incidental. 

h.  Divisions  designed  for  continuous  application. 

A.    NATURAL    DIVISIONS. 

The  first  form  of  Textual  Divisions  we  denominate 
Natural  Divisions.  Of  these  there  are  two  kinds,  those 
which  follow  the  natural  order  of  the  words,  and  those 
which  follow  the  natural  order  of  the  thought. 

We  have  alluded  to  both  these  methods  in  the  treat- 
ment of  a  lecture  of  the  first  class,  but  as  they  become 
more  important  and  assume  much  more  the  form  of  a 
system  in  the  treatment  of  a  single  text  it  is  necessary 
that  we  should  understand  these  methods  accurately. 

i.  Divisions  which  follow  the  Natural  Order  of 
the  Words. 

This  is  sometimes  the  very  best  division.  As  the 
words  express  the  meaning  of  the  text,  these  are  some- 
times the  very  best  hooks  upon  which  to  hang  the  points 
of  your  thoughts.     Some  of  the  most  powerful  sermons 

26 


have  been  preached  upon  divisions  of  this  kind.  "  Many 
preachers,"  says  Dr.  Kidder,  "reject  this  style  of  divi- 
sion on  account  of  its  simplicity  and  yet  it  is  often  beauti- 
ful in  its  application  and  more  than  any  other  adapted  to 
aid  in  the  elucidation  of  the  truth  of  God.  It  is  specially 
applicable  to  texts  containing  precepts,  commands, 
promises,  warnings,  and  facts."  It  must,  however,  be 
noticed  that  this  method  of  division  is  applicable  to  but 
a  small  number  of  texts.  A  failure  to  perceive  this  has 
done  more  than  anything  else  to  bring  this  kind  of  division 
into  disrepute.  Some  preachers,  hearing  others  preach 
beautiful  and  effective  sermons  after  this  method,  and 
not  having  discrimination  enough  to  perceive  to  what 
texts  it  is  applicable,  have  made  themselves  ridiculous  by 
forcing  this  treatment  upon  texts  to  which  it  is  not 
adapted.  Let  me  then  illustrate  both  its  proper  and  im- 
proper use. 

Mr.  Spurgeon  in  one  of  his  sermons  treats  Matthew 
20:28  in  this  method. 

Subject — The  Mission  of  Christ. 

The  division  follows  the  order  of  the  words. 

1.  The  Son  of  Man.     Humanity  and  Brotherhood. 

2.  The  Son  of  Man  came.     His  antecedent  existence. 

3.  The  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto  but 
to  minister.     His  vicarious  life. 

4.  The  Son  of  Man  came  to  give  his  life  a  ransom.     His 
vicarious  death. 

5.  The  Son  of  Man  came  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for 
many.     The  amplitude  of  the  Atonement. 

Another  example  will  show  its  application  to  the 
invitations  and  promises. 

That  precious  invitation,  Matthew  11:28,  may  be 
treated  in  this  way : 

"Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor,"  etc.  In  this  pas- 
sage we  have, 

1.  An  Invitation. 

2.  A  Promise. 


27 


i.     Under  the  first  head  the  Invitation,  notice 

a.  The  invitation  Come. 

b.  The  person  who  invites,  Come  unto  me. 

c.  The  persons  invited,  all  who  labor  and  are  heavy 

laden. 
2.   Under  the  second  head,  the  Promise,  notice 

a.  The  Promiser;  "I."  This  omnipotent  "I"  assures 
its  fulfilment. 

b.  The  freeness  of  the  Promise;  /  will  give. 

c.  The  boon  which  is  offered  ;  Rest. 

From  these  examples  you  will  see  that  some  passages 
divide  themselves,  and  the  order  of  the  words  is  the  most 
accurate  and  logical  arrangement  of  the  thought. 

Let  me  now  show  the  improper  use  of  this  method. 
This  was  finely  ridiculed  by  the  celebrated  lecturer,  John 
B.  Gough.  In  showing  how  some  of  the  English  clergy- 
men preach  he  substituted  with  an  excellent  judgment 
instead  of  a  passage  of  scripture  a  nursery  rhyme,  and 
said  they  proceeded  in  this  way: 

i.  How. 

2.  How  doth. 

3.  How  doth  the  little  busy  bee. 

4.  How  doth  the  little  busy  bee  improve. 

5.  How  doth  the  little  busy  bee  improve  each  shining 
hour. 

His  ridicule  is  in  excellent  point  and  applicable  to 
much  that  passes  under  the  name  of  preaching.  Ridicule 
must  not,  however,  prejudice  us  against  a  valuable 
method,  but  only  lead  us  to  ascertain  distinctly  its  proper 
and  improper  use.  We  must  remember,  too,  that  every 
word  of  God  has  a  meaning  and  that  the  connection  of  the 
words  is  but  the  index  of  the  inspired  thought. 

I  do  not  think  it  right  to  give  you  an  example  in 
which  a  scriptural  text  has  been  made  ridiculous  by  an 
ill-judged  use  of  this  method  of  division,  but  I  may  show 
you  that  this  kind  of  division  is  also  objectionable  when 
it  is  stiff  or  artificial.     One  of  the  most  brilliant  and  able 

28 


of  the  Scotch  preachers,  Dr.  Arnot,  was  betrayed  into  the 
mistake  of  such  a  division,  in  a  sermon  on 

Psalm  48 : 3 
"  God  is  known  in  her  palaces  for  a  refuge." 
His  division  is, — 

1.  God. 

2.  God  is. 

3.  God  is  known. 

4.  God  is  known  in  her  palaces . 

5 .  God  is  known  in  her  palaces  for  a  refuge. 

This  a  five-fold  division  of  words,  when  the  text  con- 
tains but  one  idea,  "God  as  a  Refuge." 

But  we  must  insist  that  such  mistakes  and  abuses  of 
texts  ought  not  to  be  used  to  the  prejudice  of  a  good 
method  which  is  indicated  by  the  way  in  which  inspira- 
tion has  formed  some  scriptural  sentences. 

We  might  hold  up  to  ridicule  in  this  same  way  every 
kind  of  division  by  quoting  some  ridiculous  abuse  of  it. 
For  example  how  absurd  the  propositional  method  ap- 
pears in  the  following  example. 

The  text  is  the  "Ten  Commandments."  From  this 
text  an  old  Calvinistic  divine  draws  the  proposition: 
"All  of  the  ten  commandments  are  violated  by  a  belief 
in  Armimanism." 

1.  Arminians  make  a  divinity  of  man's  power  and 
thus  break  the  first  Commandment. 

2.  They  bow  down  to  this  idol  of  their  own  creation 
and  thus  break  the  second. 

3.  They  talk  of  ineffectual  grace  and  thus  take  God's 
name  in  vain,  and  so  break  the  third  Commandment.  And 
in  this  manner  he  went  through  the  Decalogue,  concluding 
tenthly,  that  they  covet  their  elect  neighbor's  interest  in 
Christ,  and  so  break  the  tenth  commandment. 

As  it  would  be  unfair  to  use  this  absurd  treatment  of 
a  proposition,  as  an  objection  to  this  kind  of  preaching, 
so  it  is  equally  unjust  to  allow  ridiculous  mistakes  and 
abuses  to  create  prejudice  against  this  method  of  division 
which  has  been  used  with  great  power  and  success. 

29 


2.  Divisions  which  follow  the  Order  op  the 
Thought. 

The  second  form  of  the  Natural  Textual  Division 
is  that  which  follows  the  natural  order  of  the  thought. 
In  some  passages  the  thought  naturally  divides  itself,  as  in 
the  passage, 

John  5:11. 

"This  is  the  record  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal 
life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."     Here  is  a  twofold  record. 

1.  That  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life;  and, 

2.  That  this  life  is  in  His  Son. 

The  thought  of  the  text  divides  itself,  and  no  better 
division  can  be  made. 

There  is  great  beauty  and  simplicity  in  this  kind  of  div- 
sion  when  skilfully  handled.  The  sermons  of  Robertson 
of  Brighton  are  largely  if  not  exclusively  of  this  character. 
This  division  is  difficult  just  because  it  is  so  simple.  We 
are  prone  to  turn  away  from  so  simple  a  plan  to 
seek  after  something  great.  Some  minds  have  the  pecu- 
liar infelicity  of  always  finding  the  involved  and  ab- 
struse and  never  the  simple.  When  poetry  is  written  so 
naturally  that  the  reader  feels,  "that  is  just  the  way  I 
would  have  said  it  myself,"  it  is  good  poetry.  Just  so 
when  a  sermon  is  executed  so  that  an  intelligent  hearer 
feels  that  it  is  just  the  way  I  would  have  said  it,  it  is  a 
good  sermon.  Such  sermons  may  not  gain  for  you  the 
reputation  of  greatness,  but  they  really  are  the  greatest 
sermons.  It  is  characteristic  of  great  minds  to  make  dif- 
ficult subjects  simple.  It  is  easy  to  obscure  a  subject,  but 
it  is  greatness  to  penetrate  it  and  let  the  light  through  it. 
Some  one  has  said  that  "the  frame  work  of  a  sermon  is 
like  a  window ;  it  is  made  to  let  the  light  in,  and  the  less 
sash  the  more  light." 

As  an  illustration  of  this  species  of  division  we  take 
the  text, 

Revelation  3:12. 

"Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the 
temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out:    and  I 

3° 


will  write  upon  him  the  name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the 
city  of  my  God,  which  is  new  Jerusalem "  (whole  verse). 
Theme. — The  Conquerer  and  his  Reward. 

Following  the  natural  order  of  thought  the  text  divides 
itself  thus: 

i.  The  person  to  whom  the  promise  is  made;  To 
him  that  overcometh . 

a.  Who  overcometh  himself. 

b.  Who  overcometh  the  world. 

c.  Who  overcometh  Satan. 
2.  The  reward  promised. 

a.  It  is  the   reward   of   honor.     I  will   make  him  a 
pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God. 

b.  It  is  a  reward  of   sonship.     /  will  write  upon  him 

the  name  of  my  God. 

c.  It  is  a  reward  of  privilege.     I  will  write  upon  him 

the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God,  which  is  new  Jeru- 
salem, which  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God. 

d.  It  is  a  reward  of  participation  with  Christ.     /  will 

write  upon  him  my  new  name. 

e.  It  is  a  reward  that  is  perpetual  and  unfailing.     He 

shall  go  no  more  out. 

To  this  I  may  add  an  example  from  the  sermons  of 
Bishop  Ryle  on  the  text, 

Ephesians  3:8. 

'Unto  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is 
this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach  among  the  Gentiles 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

Notice  1.  What  Paul  says  of  himself;  who  am  less 
than  the  least  of  all  saints. 

2 .  What  he  says  of  his  ministerial  office ;  is  this  grace 
given  to  preach. 

3.  What  he  says  of  the  great  subject  of  his  preaching; 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ. 

B.    TOPICO-TEXTUAL   DIVISIONS. 

The  second  general  class  of  Textual  Divisions  we 
denominate  Topico-Textual. 

3* 


This  is  a  distinct  and  beautiful  class  of  divisions, 
which  is  not  described  in  the  books  or  designated  by  a 
name.  It  is,  however,  in  approved  use  among  good 
sermonizers,  and  in  looking  over  volumes  of  sermons  you 
will  every  now  and  then  find  sermons  of  this  class,  which 
the  preacher  has  framed  not  by  any  rule  which  he  has 
been  taught,  but  by  the  suggestion  of  his  own  talent. 

These  divisions  are  topical  because  they  present  topi- 
cal points  of  thought.  But  they  are  also  textual  because 
these  topical  points  are  suggested  and  indicated  by  the 
text.  This  division  then  is  a  union  of  the  Topical  and 
Textual  method,  and  gives  us  the  most  perfect  ideal  of  a 
sermon,  viz. :  topical  points  of  thought  under  a  textual 
arrangement. 

That  you  may  see  this  clearly  let  me  describe  more 
fully  what  is  meant.  When  the  text  presents  a  single 
subject  and  contains  several  points  of  instruction  or  items 
of  thought  connected  with  that  subject,  but  not  in  any 
natural  or  logical  order,  then  the  arrangement  of  these 
points,  so  as  to  inhere  in  the  theme  or  subject  as  their 
common  center,  is  a  Topico-Textual  Division.  Or,  to 
express  this  in  another  form,  it  sometimes  happens  that 
you  find  a  text  which  contains  four  or  five  distinct  points 
of  thought.  You  then  inquire,  is  there  any  common 
theme  around  which  they  will  all  revolve  as  a  centre,  and 
if  this  common  theme  is  found,  th<^'  .V  arrange  these 
points  of  thought  in  unity  and  order  around  this  theme  is 
a  Topico-Textual  division.  We  call  it  topical  because  you 
have  a  theme  or  topic  and  points  of  thought  which 
properly  and  logically  belong  to  the  topic,  and  yet  it  is 
textual  because  the  points  spring  from  the  text  and  have 
a  textual  arrangement. 

But  an  example  will  explain  the  method  better  than 
any  description.  As  a  simple  and  obvious  example 
take  the  text, 

Galatians  4:4,5. 

"  But  when  the  fullness  of  the  time  was  come,  God 
sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the 


law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we 
might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons." 

There  are  a  number  of  points  in  this  text  about  "The 
Mission  of  the  Messiah."  Grouping  them  around  this 
theme,  we  have  unity  of  subject  and  topical  points  of 
thought,   under  a  textual  arrangement.     Thus, 

i.  The  person  who  was  sent  upon  this  mission  to 
earth ;     God  sent  his  Son. 

2.  The  time  of  this  mission;  when  the  fullness  of  the 
time  was  come. 

3.  The  nature  and  condition  in  which  He  appeared; 
made  of  a  zvoman. 

4.  The  legal  status  which  He  assumed;  made  under 
the  law. 

5.  The  great  purpose  of  His  mission;  to  redeem  them 
that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption 
of  sons. 

As  another  example  of  the  topico-textual  method 
take  the  text, 

Acts   17:31. 
"He  hath  appointed  a  day,  in  which  he  will  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that  man  whom  he  hath 
ordained ;  whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all  men, 
in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  head." 

-e— "The  Judgment." 

1.  Its  certainty.      This  is  assured — 

a.  By  the  appointment  of  the  day.     "He  hath  ap- 

pointed a  day  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world." 

b.  Its   certainty   is   assured,    by  the   resurrection   of 

Christ.     "  Whereof  he  hath  given  assurance  unto  all 
men  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead." 

2.  The  Judge  by  whom  the  judgment  will  be  ad- 
ministered.     '  By  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained." 

3.  The  persons  who  will  be  brought  to  trial.  "He 
will  judge  the  world." 

4.  The  principle  upon  which  the  judgment  will  pro- 
ceed.    "He  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness. " 

In  this   example   you  will  notice   that   if   you  were 

33 


preaching  a  topical  sermon  on  "The  Judgment,"  you  could 
not  find  better  points  of  topical  thought,  and  yet  there  are 
all  indicated  in  the  several  clauses  of  the  text.  The 
divisions  are  all  topical,  and  yet  they  are  all  textual. 

As  this  class  of  divisions  is  so  important,  I  add  another 
example  of  a  little  different  character  from  a  sermon 
of  the  distinguished  Baptist  Professor,  Dr.  H.  G.  Weston. 

Ephesians   5:25,  27. 
"Christ  also  loved  his  Church  and  gave  himself  for  it 
that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it,"  etc. 

Theme — "  Christ's  love  for  His  Church." 

1 .  In  time  Past.     He  gave  himself  for  it. 

2 .  In  the  Present.   That  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it. 

3.  In  the  Future.  That  he  might  present  it  to  himself 
a  glorious  Church  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any  such 
thing. 

Here  again  you  have  a  fine  union  of  topical  thought 
with  textual  arrangement. 

In  this  example  you  will  observe  that  this  method  of 
division  is  not  confined  to  single  texts,  but  may  be  applied 
to  more  lengthy  passages.  In  this  way  we  may  have  a 
Topico-Textual  lecture  as  well  as  a  Topico-Textual  ser- 
mon. 

C.    REGULAR    DIVISIONS. 

The  third  genera  1  class  of  Textual  Divisions  is  called 
Regular  Divisions. 

It  is  sometimes  called  a  Scholastic  Division,  as  it  comes 
down  to  us  from  mediaeval  times.  This  method  restricts 
the  number  of  divisions  to  three,  and  in  this  way  each 
sermon  was  to  be  a  witness  for  the  Trinity  in  the  number 
of  its  divisions.  Dr.  Phelps  remarks  that  "  the  mediaeval 
mind  saw  trinity  in  everything  from  the  Mosaic  record  of 
creation  down  to  a  three-leafed  clover,  and  one  of  the 
developments  of  this  fancy  was  the  Trinitarian  division  of 
a  sermon."  But  although  this  method  of  division  origi- 
nated in  a  scholastic  fancy,  it  has  been  retained  in  the 
church  and  is  still  in  common  use  by  many  who  have 

34 


never  thought  of  its  origin  or  meaning.  This  method,  as 
applied  to  a  certain  class  of  texts,  is  the  very  best  method, 
and  the  simple  fact  that  it  has  continued  to  the  present 
time  shows  its  value. 

What  a  regular  division  is,  it  is  difficult  to  explain  in 
words.  A  triangle  is  regular  when  it  has  three  equal 
sides.  An  epic  poem  is  regular  when  it  has  a  beginning 
middle  and  end.  So  the  description  of  an  event  is  regu- 
lar when  you  are  made  to  see  the  actor,  the  action  and  its 
effects. 

In  like  manner  a  sermon  is  regular  when  it  has  three 
parts,  sustaining  such  a  relation  to  each  other  that  the 
second  proceeds  from  the  first  and  the  third  from  the 
second  or  from  a  union  of  the  first  and  second ;  as  where 
the  first  presents  an  actor,  the  second  an  action,  and  the 
third  the  result;  or,  when  the  first  presents  a  cause,  the 
second  the  operation  of  the  cause,  and  the  third  the  re- 
sult which  the  cause  produces.  An  example  will  illus- 
trate what  we  mean  by  a  regular  division. 

Philippians   2:13. 

"  For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  good  pleasure." 

In  this  passage  we  have  a  cause,  "'God;"  the  opera- 
tion of  the  cause,  "  He  worketh  in  you,"  and  the  result, 
"His  good  pleasure." 

Hence  we  may  arrange  the  division  thus: 
Theme. — "  Efficacious  Grace." 

1.  Its  author,  God. 

2.  Its  operation,  which  worketh  in  yon  both  to  will 
and  to  do. 

3.  Its  result.     His  good  pleasure. 
As  another  example   take 

Isaiah  53 :  11. 

"  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  shall 
be  satisfied." 

1.  The  sufferings  of  Christ,  here  called  the  travail 
of  his  soul. 


35 


2.  The  fruit  resulting  from  His  suffering,  he  shall 
see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul. 

3.  The  satisfaction  which  He  will  enjoy.  He  shall  be 
satisfied. 

In  the  same  manner  we  may  divide 

Titus   3:5. 
"  According  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing 
of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

Theme — "  Salvation." 

1 .  Its  nature ;  He  saved  vs. 

2.  Its  source;  According  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us. 

3.  The  instrumentality  by  which  it  is  effected;  By 
the  washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

In  this  same  way  we  can  treat  what  I  may  call  every 
active  transitive  passage,  in  which  the  actor,  agent,  or 
principle  is  represented  as  operating  and  passing  forward 
to  results.  So  also  where  you  can  describe  causes  and 
effects  with  the  connection  between  them.  Also  where 
you  speak  of  a  blessing,  showing  what  it  is,  whence  it 
springs  and  the  enjoyment  it  affords. 

D.    OBSERVATIONAL    DIVISIONS. 

The  fourth  General  Class  of  Textual  Divisions  are 
Observational.  This  division  consists  of  a  series  of  ob- 
servations or  reflections  which  spring  naturally  from  the 
text.     Many  very  useful  sermons  are  of  this  character. 

Dr.  Addison  Alexander  gives  us  a  division  of  this  kind 
from 

Mark  14:41. 

"Sleep  on  now,  and  take  you  rest:  it  is  enough,  the 
hour  is  come,  behold  the  Son  of  Man  is  betrayed  into  the 
hands  of  sinners." 

He  introduces  the  text  by  a  very  vivid  recital  and  ex- 
planation of  the  narrative  and  then  draws  from  the  text 
the  following  obrervations : 

1.  The  Son  of  Man  may  even  now  be  betrayed  into 
the  hands  of  sinners, 

36 


2.  When  the  cause  of  Christ  is  about  to  be  betrayed 
into  the  hands  of  sinners,  His  disciples  are  to  watch  unto 
prayer,  lest  they  enter  into  temptation. 

3.  When  the  disciples  of  Christ  are  thus  left  to  watch, 
whilst  He  is  interceding  with  the  Father,  they  too  often 
fall  asleep. 

4.  When  asleep,  the  merciful  Saviour  calls  them  to 
arouse :  "  Can  ye  not  watch  one  hour?" 

5.  If  they  sleep  on  till  the  moment  of  privilege  and 
opportunity  has  passed,  then  they  hear  His  sad  voice, 
"Sleep  on  now,  take  your  rest." 

There  is  something  more  awful  in  this  mild  but  sig- 
nificant permission  to  "sleep  on"  than  in  all  the  invec- 
tives or  reproofs  He  could  have  uttered. 

In  this  example  you  will  notice  that  each  observation 
springs  from  the  text,  that  they  are  all  connected,  and 
each  one  is  an  advance  upon  the  former. 

Another  example  of  a  briefer  form  of  observation  we 
find  in  a  sermon  of  Dr.  Wm.  M.  Taylor  on  the  text, 

Colossians  4:18. 
' '  Remember  my  bonds. ' ' 
Observe, 

1 .  Paul's  bonds  were  no  disgrace  to  him. 

2.  Paul's  bonds  did  not  prevent  him  from  being  useful. 

3.  Paul's  bonds  did  not  mar  his  happiness. 

4.  Paul's  bonds  did  not  lessen  his  reward. 

In  using  this  kind  of  division  several  things  are  to  be 
observed — 

First,  be  sure  that  you  make  either  observations  or 
reflections,  and  not  propositions.  They  may  easily  be 
confounded. 

Second,  let  your  observations  be  either  devotional,  or 
experimental,  or  practical,  and  not  philosophical,  or 
historical,  or  critical. 

Third,  observations  should  not  be  commonplace,  dry 
or  spiritless.  Let  them  be  the  fruit  of  careful  thought 
under  the  guidance  of  a  sober  judgment  and  a  gracious 
heart. 

37 


E.    INTERROGATIVE    DIVISIONS. 

The  fifth  Class  of  Textual  Divisions  is  the  Interrogative. 

This  is  a  favorite  division  with  many  preachers.  It 
consists  in  bringing  out  the  truths  embodied  in  the  text 
by  well  adjusted  questions.  Each  division  is  an  interro- 
gation which  finds  its  answer  in  the  text.  Or  the  text 
may  be  a  question  which  finds  its  answer  in  the  division. 
This  method  has  many  advantages.  The  human  mind 
naturally  operates  in  its  investigating  process  in  an  inter- 
rogative way.  "A  question,"  says  Dr.  Phelps,  "  is  a 
prospective  statement  of  thought;  it  gives  promise  of  an 
unknown  answer;  it  is  the  forerunner  of  an  invisible  re- 
quest. To  every  alert  mind  it  is  welcome.  Interrogative 
statements  of  emphatic  truths  are  a  striking  feature  of  our 
Saviour's  preaching.  Socrates,  by  his  example,  gave  it  a 
name.  Such  interrogations  draw  a  hearer  to  your  dis- 
cussion by  the  sheer  attraction  of  curiosity  to  see  what 
is  to  come  next." 

Another  advantage  of  this  method  is,  that  it  gives 
vividness  to  the  truth  you  present  by  holding  it  out  upon 
the  point  of  an  inquiry. 

It  is  also  a  great  advantage  to  the  preacher.  It  is  a 
spur  to  thought  in  his  preparation,  for  the  question  makes 
him  feel  that  he  is  committed  to  give  the  answer  and  that 
he  must  work  to  evolve  it. 

This  method  is  of  course  not  applicable  to  every  text, 
nor  would  it  be  best  to  use  it  habitually  if  it  were,  but  it 
may  frequently  be  adopted  with*  good  results.  This 
method  was  in  use  among  the  ancient  orators.  Cicero 
used  this  method  in  his  oration  in  defense  of  Cselius,  who 
was  accused  of  poisoning  his  friend.  Cicero  expresses  his 
doubt  of  the  accusation  and  then  puts  these  questions : 

i.  How  was  the  design  laid? 

2.  How  did  he  get  the  poison?  Under  this  second  head 
he  asks  as  subdivisions  the  questions,  Whence  came  it? 
By  whose  assistance,  and  to  whom,  and  where  was  it 
delivered  ? 


38 


We  may  treat  in  this  manner, 

John    17  :  9,  10. 

"I  pray  for  them:  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for 
them  which  thou  hast  given  me;  for  they  are  thine. 
And  all  mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine;  and  I  am 
glorified  in  them." 

Two  simple  questions  find  their  answer  in  the  text 
and  evolve  its  meaning : 

1.  For  whom  does  Christ  pray?     Answer — 

a.  Negatively;    /  pray  not  for  the  world. 

b.  Affirmatively;   /    pray   for    them    which    thou    hast 

given  me. 

2.  Why  does  He  pray  for  these  in  particular? 

a.  Because  they  are  thine. 

b.  Because  all  thine  are  mine. 

c.  Because  /  am  glorified  in  them. 

As  an  example  of  a  more  elaborate  division  of  this 
kind,  take  the  following: 

Luke   15:22. 
"  Bring  hither  the  best  robe  and  put  it  on  him." 

1.  What  is  the  best  robe?  It  is  the  robe  of  Christ's 
righteousness. 

2.  What  is  its  superior  excellence?  It  is  called  the 
best  robe.     It  is  best  as  compared  with  others. 

a.  It  is  better  than  Adam's  robe  of  innocence. 

b.  It  is  better  than  the  righteousness  of  the  saints. 

c.  It  is  better  than  the  garments  of  the  angels. 

3.  How  is  this  robe  to  be  brought  forth?  Bring 
hither  the  best  robe.  In  its  spiritual  application  it  is  the 
command  of  God  to  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  It 
directs  them. 

a.  To  exhibit  this  robe,  to  display  it  before  the  eyes  of 

the  people,  that  all  men  may  see  its  beauty  and 
applicability. 

b.  To  offer  it  as  God's  free  gift. 

4.  How  is  this  robe  to  be  put  on? 

a.  On  man's  side  it  is  put  on  by  faith. 

39 


b.  On  God's  part  it  is  put  on  by  imputation.     It  is 
unto  all  and  upon  all  that  believe. 

As  an  example  of  the  other  kind  of  interrogative 
Division  in  which  the  text  is  a  question  and  the  division 
the  answer,  take  the  following  from  Dr.  Wm.  M.  Taylor 
of  New  York  on  the  text, 

John   1 8 :  17. 

"Art   not   thou   also   one   of   this   man's   disciples?" 

1.  There  are  those  who  say  "  yes,"  when  they  ought 
to  say  "  no."     This  is  hypocrisy. 

2.  There  are  those  who  say  "no,"  and  say  it  truly. 
This  avowed  ungodliness. 

3.  There  are  those  who  say  "no,"  when  they  should 
say  "yes." 

4.  There  are  those  who,  being  true  disciples,  say 
"yes,"  everywhere  and  at  all  times. 


Another  form  of  this  kind  of  Interrogative  Division  in 
frequent  use  is  made  by  shifting  the  emphasis  from  one 
expressive  word  to  another  in  the  text. 
A  good  example  we  have  in 

Matthew  20:  6. 

"  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?" 

Theme — "Spiritual  Idleness." 

1.  Why  stand  ye  here  idle? 

2.  Why  stand  ye  here?  in  the  market  place,  where 
all  should  be  busy. 

3.  Why  stand  ye? 

4.  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  day? 

5 .  Why — give  us  a  reason. 

F.    DISTRIBUTIVE    DIVISIONS. 

The  sixth  class  of  Textual  Sermons  we  denominate 
Distributive  Divisions.  This  is  an  important  class  of 
divisions  and  is  in  continual  use  in  some  of  its  forms  in 
the  pulpit.  A  Distributive  Division  is  not  properly  a 
division  either  of  a  Text  or  a  Topic,  but  consists  in  show- 
ing how  a  text  may  be  applicable  to  different  subjects, 

40. 


to  different  persons,  and  to  different  states  and  conditions. 

In  this  way  all  Typical  subjects  are  to  be  treated.  You 
show,  first,  their  literal ;  and,  second,  their  spiritual  appli- 
cations. Some  Typical  subjects  have  first,  a  literal 
meaning;  second,  a  reference  to  Christ;  third,  to  the 
Church ;  fourth,  to  individual  believers.  When  you  make 
each  of  these  references  a  division  you  have  a  Distributive 
Division. 

In  the  same  way  we  may  treat  Prophetical  subjects. 
Some  have  a  primary  and  secondary,  and  some  a  con- 
tinuous fulfilment.  Many  of  the  most  precious  passages 
of  the  Psalms  describe,  first,  David's  own  experience; 
second,  refer  to  Christ;  and,  third,  to  the  believer.  Some 
Prophecies  are  fulfilled,  first,  in  the  Jewish  Church; 
second,  in  the  Gospel  Church,  and,  third,  point  onward 
to  their  complete  fulfilment  at  the  Second  Advent.  In 
all  such  passages  the  mode  of  distribution  is  so  plain 
that  we  need  not  stay  to  exemplify. 

There  is,  however,  a  large  class  of  Distributive  Divisions 
of  another  kind.  We  may  show  how  a  text  may  be 
applicable  to  persons  under  a  great  variety  of  circum- 
stances.    Thus  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander  takes  the  text, 

II  Corinthians  12:  9 
"My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee" 

He  shows    that  it   is  applicable  to  persons, 

1 .  Under  conviction. 

2.  In  temptation. 

3.  In  afflictions. 

4.  In  the  performance  of  arduous  duties. 

Here  the  text  is  distributed  to  persons  under  four 
varieties  of  circumstances. 

As  another  example  we  may  take 
Philippians   3:10. 
"The  Power  of  His  Resurrection." 
This  passage  suggests  the  different  ways  in  which  the 
Resurrection  of  Christ  exerts  an  influential  power  in  the 
life  and  experience  of  a  Christian. 

4i 


i.  The  Resurrection  of  Christ  has  a  demonstrative 
power. 

a.  It  demonstrates  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the 
true  Messiah. 

b.  It  demonstrates  His  divine  Sonship. 

2.  It  has  a  justifying  power,  or  in  other  words,  it 
brings  us  an  assurance  of  our  justification  and  accep- 
tance with  God. 

3.  It  has  a  regenerative  and  quickening  power.  "We 
are  begotten  again  to  a  lively  hope  by  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead." 

4.  It  has  a  conquering  power.  Christ's  resurrection 
is  our  conquest  over  death. 

5.  It  has  a  reproductive  power.  Christ  is  the  first- 
fruits,  and  the  resurrection  will  be  the  future  harvest  of 
redeemed  souls. 

Another  example  from  Lavington  shows  how  we 
may  treat  in  this  manner  many  of  the  Scriptural  declar- 
ations concerning  Christ.     He   takes  the  text, 

Hebrews  13:8. 

1  Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day  and  for- 
ever."    He  shows  its  truth, 

1.  As  regards  His  person. 

2.  As  to  His  offices. 

3.  As  to  His  purposes. 

4.  As  to  His  promises. 

G.     INCIDENTAL    DIVISIONS. 

The  seventh  Class  of  Textual  Divisions  we  denominate 
Incidental.  This  a  large  irregular  class  of  sermons,  in  fre- 
quent use,  which  are  good  in  themselves,  but  which  cannot 
be  arranged  under  any  of  the  preceding  heads,  and  should 
therefore  be  described  and  classified,  lest  the  student  may 
be  at  a  loss  where  to  place  them  or  be  in  doubt  as  to 
whether  they  are  legitimate  or  not. 

There  are  sermons  on  texts  which  cannot  be  divided 
naturally  or  rhetorically  or  regularly,  and  must  therefore 

42 


take  their  shape  and  arrangement  accidently  from  the 
character  of  the  passage  or  its  incidental  connections. 
Let  me  illustrate : 

Some  towns  and  cities  are  laid  out  with  regular 
geometrical  precision  in  streets,  squares,  and  blocks. 
Others  take  their  shape  naturally  from  the  position  of  the 
ground,  whilst  still  others  have  taken  their  shape  from 
circumstances — they  were  built  just  as  it  happened  and 
the  streets  afterward  adapted  to  the  necessities  of  the 
case.  Just  so  in  this  latter  manner  some  sermons  must 
follow  the  law  of  necessity  and  receive  the  impress  of  the 
circumstances  which  surround  the  passage.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  distribution  follows  no  law  but  the  law 
of  accidental  adjustment,  and  is  therefore  good  because 
necessary. 

Of  this  character  are  sermons  which  present  several 
points  of  thought  found  in  a  text  which  have  various 
degrees  of  relation  to  each  other,  but  a  precise  unity 
cannot  be  claimed.     For  illustration  take  as  your  text. 

Hebrews  4:1. 

"  Let  us  therefore  fear,  lest  a  promise  being  left  us  of 
entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should  seem  to  come 
short  of  it." 

Here  is 

1.  A  promise  stated. 

2.  A  danger  suggested. 

3.  A  duty  inculcated. 

This  is  a  perfectly  good  division,  and  yet  it  is  neither 
natural  nor  rhetorical  nor  regular,  but  purely  Incidental 
from  the  character  of  the  passage.  It  does  not  claim 
a  perfect  unity,  yet  there  is  a  bond  which  binds  it  suf- 
ficiently close  to  make  it  a  legitimate  division. 

As  an  example  of  a  very  simple  kind,  in  which  the 
incidental  features  of  the  passage  indicate  the  division, 
let  us  take  as  the  text 

John   4:29. 

"  Come,  see  a  man  which  told  me  all  things  that  ever 
I  did;  is  not  this  the  Christ?" 

43 


We  have   here, 

i.  A  supernatural  fact;  He  told  me  all  things  that 
ever  I  did. 

2.  A  rational  inference;     Is  not  this  the  Christ? 

3.  A  benevolent  invitation;     Come,  see  a  man. 

For  another  example  we  take 

Psalms  7 :  19-18. 
"Open  thou  mine  eyes  that  I  may  behold  wondrous 
things  out  of  thy  law." 

1 .  There  are  wondrous  things  in  God's  law. 

2.  We  need  spiritual  illumination  to  see  them. 

3.  This  illumination  is  the  gift  of  God;  Open  thou 
mine  eyes. 

These  are  examples  of  very  simple  divisions  from 
short  texts. 

As  an  example  of  a  more  elaborate  division  and  as 
showing  how  this  kind  of  division  may  be  applied  to 
longer  passages  let  us  take  as  our  text 

2  Timothy  4:  6-8. 

4 1  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  rny 
departure  is  at  hand.     I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  etc." 

Here  the  division  may  take  shape  from  the  incidental 
character  of  the  passage. 

In  this  passage  we  have  a  look, 

1.  At  the  Past. 

2.  At  the  Present. 

3.  At  the  Future. 

Let  us  take  up  each  of  these  points  and  follow  the 
guidance  of  the  text. 
We  have 
1.  A  look  at  the  Past.     He   looks  back  and  sees  life. 

a.  As  a  race  which  he  has  finished;  "I  have  finished 
my  course." 

b.  As  a  battle  which  he  has  fought;  "  I  have  fought  a 

good  fight." 

c.  As  a  trust  which  he  has  kept;  "I  have  kept  the 

faith." 


44 


2.  A  look  at  the  Present.  From  this  retrospect  he 
turns  to  look  upon  the  present,  and  he  sees  that  his  end 
has  come  and  he  contemplates  death; 

a.  As  an  offering;  "I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered." 
The  figure  is  that  of  a  drink  offering.  I  am  now 
ready  to  be  poured  out. 

b.  As  a  departure;  "The  time  of  my  departure  is  at 

hand."     The   figure  is   nautical;  He  is  to   unfurl 
his  sails  and  depart. 

c.  For  death  in  both  of  these  aspects,  as  an  offering, 

and  a  departure  he  is  ready;  "  I  am  now  ready." 

3.  A  look  at  the  Future.  In  this  prospect  he  sees 
his  reward. 

a.  It  is  a  Crown;  "Henceforth  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
Crown." 

b.  It  is  a  "  crown  of  Righteousness" 

c.  It  is  laid  up  for  him;  "Henceforth  is  laid  up  for 

me." 

d.  It  is  a  crown  laid  up  for  his  coronation  day;  "  Hence- 
forth is  laid  up  for  me  a  Crown  which  the  Lord 
will  give  me  at  that  day." 

H.    DIVISIONS    FOR    CONTINUOUS    APPLICATION. 

In  the  eighth  Class  of  Textual  Sermons  we  group 
those  which  are  designed  for  Continuous  Application. 

These  divisions  consist  of  practical  or  experimental 
points  of  thought,  drawn  from  the  text  which  are  to  be 
immediately  applied  and  enforced.  When  this  Division 
is  adopted  the  whole  discourse  resembles  the  peroration 
or  conclusion  of  an  ordinary  sermon.  The  points  which 
constitute  the  division  are  not  to  be  argued  or  explained 
but  simply  enforced  in  the  most  pathetic  and  pungent 
manner. 

The  object  of  the  preacher  is  present  impression,  and 
he  deals  with  the  heart  and  conscience,  rather  than  with 
the  intellect  and  judgment.  His  object  is  to  rouse, 
quicken,  or  melt  his  audience.  He  therefore  selects  such 
points  as  have  the  most  direct  bearing  and  urges  them 

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with  all  the  warmth  and  vehemence  which  he  can  com- 
mand. 

This  is  a  highly  important  class  of  sermons,  and 
blessed  is  that  minister  who  has  the  qualifications  and 
skill  to  execute  them  successfully.  To  preach  always  in 
this  way  is  not  expedient,  but  to  preach  frequently,  very 
frequently  in  this  manner  is  absolutely  necessary. 

Such  is  the  tendency  of  even  the  best  Christians  to 
sloth  and  lukewarmness,  that  they  must  often  be  roused 
from  their  slumber,  and  the  truth  presented  in  its  most 
stirring  and  pathetic  applications. 

While  this  method  is  important,  it  is  no  less  difficult. 
It  requires  a  heart  all  glowing  with  love  of  Jesus,  and 
penetrated  with  the  conviction  of  the  worth  of  souls. 

Such  sermons  can  only  be  prepared  properly  when  the 
preacher's  heart  is  deeply  imbued  with  the  savor  of  God- 
liness, and  his  soul  thrilled  with  a  realization  of  the  solemn 
account  he  must  render  at  the  judgment  for  the  ministry 
which  has  been  committed  to  him,  and  for  the  souls 
whose  salvation,  under  God,  has  been  entrusted  to  his 
fidelity. 

Added  to  this  preparation  of  heart,  this  kind  of  ser- 
monizing requires  skill  in  rightly  dividing  the  truth  to 
the  different  classes  to  whom  he  speaks,  and  a  gracious 
sagacity  in  perceiving  the  precise  phase  of  truth  which  is 
specially  adapted  to  the  impression  which  he  wishes  to 
make.  Here  the  power  of  the  true  preacher  is  manifested 
more  than  in  anything  else.  "A  wise  collegian,"  says 
another,  "may  explicate,  a  philosopher  may  make  wise 
observations,  a  pleader  may  bring  forth  strong  reasons, 
but  the  man  who  can  maintain  a  uniform  address  to  the 
people's  heart  for  forty  or  fifty  minutes,  is  a  preacher." 

This  kind  of  sermonizing  is  difficult  to  illustrate  in  a 
lecture,  because  to  give  the  full  idea  it  would  be  necessary 
to  read  a  whole  sermon  to  the  class,  and  show  how  it  is 
constructed  to  this  specific  end.  We  may  approximate 
the  idea,  however,  by  giving  the  divisions  of  a  few  ser- 
mons of  this  character,  to  show  the  kind  of  points  which 

46 


should  be  made,  and  you  can,  from  the  character  of  these 
points,  perceive  the  directness  and  pungency  with  which 
they  should  be  filled  out. 

The  following  example  from  Simeon  may  serve  our 
purpose. 

Numbers    10:29. 

"We  are  journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the 
Lord  said,  I  will  give  it  you;  come  thou  with  us,  and  we 
will  do  thee  good ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good  concern- 
ing Israel." 

1.  The  invitation;  "Come  thou  with  us." 

a.  Let  your  faces  be  set  in  good    earnest  toward  the 

promised  land.  It  flows  with  milk  and  honey, 
viz:  with  all  gospel  blessings.  Estimate  these 
things  properly.  Lose  no  t'me  in  preparation. 
Engage  at  once  in  their  pursuit  lest  you  fail  in 
obtaining  them. 

b.  Let  nothing  be  suffered  to  retard  your  progress 

heavenward.  What  consideration  can  outweigh  the 
value  of  Heaven  ? 

c.  Proceed  steadily  till  you  are  in  possession  of  it. 

No  tardiness,  no  weariness,  no  impatience,  or 
change  of  purpose. 

2.  The  arguments  by  which  the  invitation  is  enforced. 
Consider. 

a.  What  benefits  will  accrue  to  yourself?  "God 
hath  spoken  good  concerning  Israel;"  good  in 
progress,  good  in  the  richness  of  Divine  Grace. 

b.  What  benefits  you  will  confer  upon  others.     You 

will  become  a  blessing  by  your  prayers,  an  exam- 
ple by  your  works  of  faith  and  labors  of  love. 

3.  Address  Individuals. 

a.  Those  who  have  never  yet  thought  of  the  invitation 
g'ven  them. 

b.  Those  who  have  half  accepted  and  are  half  inclined 

to  turn  back. 

c.  Those  who  have  given  themselves  up  to  Christ 

are  cleaving  to  Him  with  full  purpose  of  heart. 

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You  can  readily  imagine  the  effects  of  a  sermon  like 
this  with  the  points  well  filled  out,  and  delivered  with  a 
heart  softened  by  the  love  of  Jesus  and  a  soul  yearning 
for  the  salvation  of  sinners.  The  most  perfect  exemplar 
of  this  kind  of  preaching  was  Dr.  Payson.  His  deep 
religious  experience  gave  this  cast  to  all  the  sermons 
which  he  prepared.  His  sermons  have  been  re-published 
in  three  volumes,  by  Martine,  of  Philadelphia,  and  should 
have  a  place  in  the  library  of  every  minister.  The  man 
who  will  catch  the  spirit  of  preaching  from  Payson,  and 
go  forth  with  the  same  burning  desire  to  save  souls,  can- 
not fail,  with  God's  blessing,  to  do  good. 

An  example  from  Payson  may  illustrate  this  method 
more  fully. 

Isaiah  38:  14. 
"  O  Lord,  I  am  oppressed;  undertake  forme." 

After  a  stirring  introduction  he  says,  "  Would  to  God 
I  could  persuade  you  all  to  adopt  this  language,  and  utter 
it  from  your  hearts.  Then  would  your  salvation  be  se- 
cure. I  must  make  the  attempt,  though  I  confess,  with 
feeble  hope  of  success.  With  this  view  I  shall  endeavor 
to  show: 

1.  "That  you  all  need  some  one  to  undertake  for  you, 
or,  in  other  words,  you  need  some  one  to  make  your  cause 
his  own  and  assist  you  in  performing  that  work,  on  the 
performance  of  which  your  eternal  happiness  depends. 
You  need  some  one — 

a.  To  support  and  comfort  you  under  the  trials  of 

life.     (This  he  enforces  with  a  deep  experience.) 

b.  You  need  some  one  who  can  undertake  to  be  your 

guide  through  life. 

c.  Still  more   you   need   some   one  who   will   under- 

take to  afford  you  effectual  assistance  in  subduing 
your  spiritual  enemies. 

d.  Most  of  all  do  you  need  some  one  who  can  and 
will  undertake  to  plead  your  cause  in  Heaven." 

Having  thus  shown  the  need,  he  shows — 

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2.  "  That  there  is  no  one  on  earth  or  in  Heaven,  who  is 
both  able  and  willing  to  undertake  for  you,  except  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  "The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  and  does  undertake 
for  every  one  who  applies  to  him  in  the  exercise  of  faith." 

These  points,  you  will  notice,  are  all  of  the  most  direct 
and  experimental  character,  and  as  filled  out  by  the  rich 
Biblical  knowledge  and  deep  experience  of  Payson  they 
make  the  happiest  impression. 

In  pursuing  this  kind  of  preaching  you  must  observe 
several  things. 

First,  that  it  does  not  admit  of  discussion  or  explica- 
tion, or  even  formal  or  long  statements,  but  consists  in 
seizing  acknowledged  truths  of  the  most  experimental 
and  practical  character,  and  bringing  them  at  once  in 
contact  with  the  heart  and  conscience. 

Second,  that  your  text  or  subject  must  be  selected  for 
this  special  purpose.  Some  texts  are  not  capable  of  this 
kind  of  treatment,  and  nothing  is  more  out  of  place 
than  to  force  a  pathetic  treatment  upon  a  didactic  subject. 

Third,  that  "This  kind  goeth  not  out  but  by  fasting 
and  prayer."  The  proper  preparation  of  heart  is  ab- 
solutely indispensable.  This  kind  of  preaching  at- 
tempted in  a  cold  frame  is  sure  to  fail. 


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